


Drove me like a magnet (to the sea)

by cassiopeiasara



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Series, Trip to the Beach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 01:25:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15450300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassiopeiasara/pseuds/cassiopeiasara
Summary: Hecate hated the sea air and the waves were too loud at night. However, she’d seen the way Ada’s eyes lingered over the brochure. The small crack of a smile, the first one Ada had managed in months, at the sound of Gwen describing the seaside estate they’d stay in.





	Drove me like a magnet (to the sea)

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Title from "Crystal" by Stevie Nicks.

Hecate hated the sea air and the waves were too loud at night. If she’d been allowed to pick the location for a summer staff retreat (which why Cackle’s was not perfectly suited she’ll never know), she would have chosen the grounded majesty of the woods in a heartbeat. However, she’d seen the way Ada’s eyes lingered over the brochure. The small crack of a smile, the first one Ada had managed in months, at the sound of Gwen describing the seaside estate they’d stay in.

So off they went and after they’d finished their business, (including more rigid timetables than Ada normally allowed) the staff requested to stay on a few extra days. Hecate almost ventured back when the suggestion was made but that darkness in Ada’s eyes and the loneliness she could feel radiating off of her Headmistress persuaded her to stay.

Hecate woke around midnight that first extra evening. Ada’s bed was deserted and worry crept into Hecate’s belly before she looked out of the window and caught Ada’s silhouette near the water. Hecate gently picked up one of Ada’s cardigans and transferred a few meters behind her. She didn’t want to intrude but she had to make sure Ada was all right. Despite Ada’s continuous statements that she was perfectly fine, Hecate remained unconvinced.

Ada inched toward the shore, letting the waves wash over her toes and sighed. “Good evening, Hecate.”

Hecate bit her lip. “I didn’t mean to disturb you, Ada, I just--”

Ada turned with the ghost of a smile. “It’s all right. I was just,” she looked back to the water and sighed again, “thinking.”

Hecate walked closer and cleared her throat. She lifted Ada’s cardigan toward her. Ada nodded and took it from her, slowly pushing her arms through the sleeves. She hugged herself and turned back to the water.

“Thank you, Hecate,” she whispered. It seemed as if she might leave things there but she reached up and squeezed Hecate’s forearm. “You’ve been a dear lately, I really appreciate it.”

Hecate nodded slowly and turned to look at the sea. After a few moments, she asked, “Does it help?”

Ada tilted her head up at her as she let her hand fall from Hecate’s arm. Hecate missed the warmth instantly. “Does what help?”

Hecate cleared her throat and crossed her arms. “Being here.” _Away from home_ went unsaid.

Ada sighed again as she turned back to the water and Hecate felt her heart break a little at the sound. “In some ways. In others,” she ran her hands up her folded arms and Hecate had never felt such a strong urge to hug her. “I’m sorry you know.”

Hecate knitted her eyebrows. “Sorry?”

Ada turned to look up at her. “It couldn’t have been easy on you to have to hold back your objections. To watch me make a mess of things.”

Hecate shook her head. “You couldn’t have known what she would do.”

“That’s just it though, isn’t it? I should have known, Hecate. I should have seen but I just wanted…” she trailed off, turning her back to Hecate.

Hecate watched Ada ball up her fists and wanted so much to take Ada’s hands and uncurl them, ease some of her tension. It had been a difficult term on all of them but banishing one’s sister from an academy they’d vowed to share justifiably ranked stress of the highest order. Hecate’s reassurances didn’t seem to be working so it was obviously time to change tactics. She let out a sigh of her own and it caused Ada to turn slightly.

“Will you let her ruin the rest of it then?” asked Hecate.

“What?”

Hecate ventured an inch closer and was encouraged when Ada turned fully. “Ada, you’ve had one terrible term and there are still parents to reassure and relationships to be repaired but you’ve proven yourself up to the task before.” Ada turned her head up at that and Hecate noticed the doubt in her eyes. “So will you rise to the occasion or will you let her failure and cruelty stop you?”

She knew it was a big ask. Agatha was most assuredly Ada’s Achilles heel but there was a choice to be made and Hecate could not let Ada return to Cackle’s without making the right one.

Ada looked at her a long moment before she gave a firm nod. “You’re right,” she chuckled lightly and Hecate felt a spark of hope at the sound, “you often are.”

Hecate shrugged. “Well, you wouldn’t find me very useful if I were otherwise.”

Ada winked, her arms falling loose and more comfortable at her side. “Oh, I don’t know about that." She shook her head. "I won’t let her ruin it, I promise.” She waited a beat then reached up and squeezed Hecate’s arm once more. “Thank you again, Hecate.”

Hecate lifted her hand to cover Ada’s and offered her a small smile as they turned to look out at the sea together.    

 


End file.
